Comments

I am disapointed with this one, sure it looks great and will probably handle great and the quality will be good, however I cannot see this one being a workhorse for someone who needs to tow on a regular basis. I hope the Tribute lives on.

Where can I find information on CX-9 and when is it due out? You are correct in assuming that my issue is with the engine of the CX-7. Somehow a turbocharged 4cyl does not inspire confidence for towing loads. Also, I take issue with the premium fuel requirement of this engine. Thanks

It's really tough to find accurate information on the CX-9 right now. All that is really known is that it will be replacing the MPV in 2007 as a 2008 model. The prototype vehicle has yet to be shown at any event yet. It's a possibility it may be shown at the NY auto show in the spring, as was the MX-Crossport concept last spring (now the production CX-7).I spoke with my rep at Mazda, and he didn't really have much to say on the matter, because Mazda is very tight-lipped about things like this. As for the size, it will probably be close to the size of the Chrysler Pacifica/Ford Freestyle. It will be a 7 passenger vehicle. As for the engine, it's rumored to have the new 3.5L Duratec engine by Ford that produces 250hp. It may have more HP, but like I said, that's all a rumor.There really is NO official information on this vehicle yet. All that is truly known is that a 7 passenger vehicle, called the CX-9, will be built by Mazda.

I just looked to see what percentage of our Tribute sales had the 'tow package'.....for the entire 2005 model year it was 7.4%. Out of the 7.4% many took the vehicle because it was what they wanted and it happen to have the tow package...not because they wanted to tow. Not enough to really make a difference.

Remember...the CX-7 is based on a front wheel drive car platform. One that isnt exactly designed with substantial towing in mind. The 2000lb rating seems reasonable for the CX-7....If somebody is going to tow something larger a vehicle that is designed with towing in mind, like an Explorer, might be a better choice

Thanks for information aviboy97. I will keep my eyes open for when more details come out on the CX-9.

As for the list of comments on towing from other posters, I would suspect that a number of people do like me and purchase aftermarket towing equipment for their SUV's. In my part of the country most every SUV I see has a tow hitch of some form and they use them for towing all sorts of things from boats to travel trailers to snowmobile trailers. The current Tribute is rated to 3500lbs for towing, so expecting any SUV to be able to tow a certain amount would not be unreasonable. I tow about 2500lbs and it is handling it with no problems. Having said that, I now understand that the CX-7 is not intended for being such a workhorse and that is fine. Some people do not need the towing capacity and that is fine also. If it was not for my towing needs I would be looking further at the CX-7 as it seems to be a dynamic package. :shades:

We bought our Navajo off the lot in '92, it came with the towing package. Interestingly enough, the towing package didn't include a receiver or hitch. I bought an after-market receiver and installed it myself.

Interestingly enough, I have rented U-Haul trailers of various sizes and at several locations to pull behind my Explorer on numerous occasions. My Explorer has a 5000+ pound towing capacity and seems to handle the load just fine. Of course, now I purchased my own 18' trailer, so U-Haul won't be seeing me as often. But your "information" is absolutely wrong.

I work with an Explorer owner who went to U-Haul to rent a trailer. They refused because they don't rent to Explorer owners - too many claims.

I formerly owned a Mazda Navajo (Explorer clone), and looked into renting a U-Haul trailer - same response.

Go to the U-Haul web site, enter vehicle info for an Explorer to tow a U-Haul trailer, and see what you get.

Even better, go to a search, and enter "Ford Explorer U-haul."

This is from the U-Haul site:Ford Explorer owners: U-Haul has chosen not to rent behind this tow vehicle based on our history of excessive costs in defending lawsuits involving Ford Explorer towing combinations. This policy is not related to safety issues. This is an unusual circumstance for U-Haul &#150; we have built our success for over 59 years by saying "yes" to our customers, and do not like saying "no" instead. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and are committed to working with our customers to find alternative options to help with their move. Please contact 1-800-GO-UHAUL (1-800-468-4285) for assistance with alternative options.

Sometimes a weird consumer review slips through the cracks; I think the reject button was missed on that one. In any event, it was queued up for removal (production schedules don't permit immediate removal of stuff like that - oh well, should be gone now).

As far as the U-Haul/Explorer towing thing, what's funny is that U-Haul doesn't say anything about renting to Mountaineer owners. About the only difference from the Explorer is the trim and badges.

I have been looking for about a week now with no luck. I've tried the dealer, Uhaul, and some local places here in Las Vegas with no luck. The dealer said the AWD version comes equipped with it, but there is no word on adding it to the two wheel drive version.I just want to haul an atv, nothing big or heavy.

Has anyone had U-Haul install a new hitch? I went out Saturday and it turns out the hitch will not fit around the exhaust pipe on the right hand side. They had to make modifications to the actual hitch. Three hours waiting and I still have to go back to actually get it installed.

The Mazda version is only a 1-1/4" hitch while many aftermarket ones are 2". I went with the Mazda OEM unit, but am now seeing that there seem to be fewer accessories made for the smaller size. Oh well.

When I was in the process of purchasing my car I asked about it and the sales manager and my salesman said it would be cheaper to have U-haul do it. Unfortunately I have spent 4 hours on this project and it is still not installed due to the necessity of cutting a notch for the exhaust pipe. I don't want to do any heavy towing, but I have a 5X8 triler that enables me not to have to borrow a pickup truck. Teh only advantage I can see is the wiring might be integrated instead of "T-tapping" the rear lights.

If you are planning on having your CX7 for a long time, and you don't have to tow all the time, I would not install it period. I don't mean to scare anybody, but your transmission will have to work harder, and will have different shifting points than normal due to the added tongue weight, the transmission gets a software update from Mazda(& all manuf.) when you add the trailer hitch/ prep package.

I agree with you except if the wife and I want to go buy a new mattress for the house I don't want to have them pay for delivery at there convienence. I only plan on hauling at most around 500lbs and that would be for a short distance.

A bit of economics here. What's the cost of installing a trailer hitch versus the cost of a one time rental of a small U-Haul truck? Home Depot rents flat-bed trucks for about $21 for 75 mins plus $5 for every mins thereafter. Very convenient and useful for hauling a mattress and box spring. You referred to the aggravation of waiting and trying to figure out how your vehicle will be modified to accept that hitch.

Seems the Home Depot option is less messy and certainly a lot cheaper!

Yes, I agree the Home Depot route might be easier and if you bring economics into I would be driving a stripped down Saturn. I used the trailer when I had maxima and found I used it 2-3 times a month for my personal use and friends use. This would not be a problem if the hitch had been installed the first day without any problems. I originally sent my querry to see if anyone else has had a problem with aftermarket installation.